Despite the North's larger population, the South had an army that was nearly equal in size during the first year of the war. The North also had a significant industrial advantage. The Confederacy had one-ninth the industrial capacity of the Union at the start of the war.
The North started the war with formidable forces. Its population was approximately 22 million, compared to 9 million in the South. The North was both more prosperous and technologically advanced than the South. The North accounted for roughly 90% of the nation's manufacturing and the majority of its banks.
Their economy was one of their main weaknesses. They lacked the factories found in the north. They couldn't produce guns and other supplies quickly enough.
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